217 So I'm going to negotiate.

While my friends are interrogating Raheit's men, I have things to do. As the King of Tarz, I have to share information with the representatives of the other countries and decide what to do. That's why I'm meeting with His Holiness Eupharo through the communication crystal with King Garne, who for some reason is still in the land of men. I can easily think of a reason why, but it seems silly to think about it.

So we managed to capture two of Rahite's men, but it seems that Serraes and his men have been recovered by the other side. My dark side reports that they moved to the Ghanaian side of the border and have been traced.

"When I received this news, I mobilized the soldiers of my mistress's country to search for her, but they were unable to trace her. I'm sure you're not the only one who's wondering what's going on.

"Hmm. ...... I see. Did you get any information from the bastard you captured?

"We don't know the details yet. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.

My father was a great king who cared for his people and ruled well. But Nektohar had left a deep scar on his father's monarchy. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can contact us at the following web site: ....... I'm not going to forgive the person who caused the problem.

It's a shame that a man who was once an archbishop is now connected to the demon race. ......

It's a shame. I'm not sure what to do, but I'd like to know what you think. If he harbored such a great sinner, Rahite's gang must be defeated with the full force of all nations.

"I agree with you on that. But for Yugraism, the first priority is to make Serraes pay for his sins.

I don't think that's what Pope Eupharo is asking. The Archbishop of Juglar has committed a crime. Now that that fact is out in the open, we can't let Serraes go unchallenged.

That's the trouble with organizations.

"Even you can't leave a royal guilty. Mejis and the Yugra religion will cooperate fully. But if you have any information about Serraes, you must give it to us first.

"Regardless of personal feelings. Pope Eupharo, I trust you. I'll do everything I can to meet your request. But that's not enough, is it?

"Not after what happened to the Purple Mad King. Taze, or should I say his way. There are many who do not like it. We have Rakhra Sarf as a watcher, but ...... many of us only know her from her bad reputation.

You mean you want to increase surveillance. I can understand that, but it would be wise not to restrain him too much.

The reason why my friends are friendly to Pope Eupharo is because he is a man of integrity who makes decisions based on reason. If the pressure from the Yugoslavs is increased, it will become a hindrance to my friend. I don't know at what point my friend will give up on the relationship.

I'm going to be very selective about who I choose. Please let him know about this.

"I will tell him. But I won't try to convince him. Are you okay with that?

Absolutely. It's my job to negotiate if I have to.

He ends the call and sighs. My friend will accept Pope Eupharo's request. As his friend, I'd like to remove as much of the burden as possible from him, but I have my limits.

In a way, it will be easier for my friend to do this with the king's direct supervision.

"Hmmm, why do you care? The mistress isn't there to watch over you, you know.

No. I'm sure it's for more menial reasons.

What?

I'm not in a position to speak for other countries when it comes to restraining him. I'm not in a position to speak for other countries when it comes to restraining him, but I'm sure I've been a huge burden compared to Gahne and Quama. I think we should end this conversation here. In a war of words, the Golden Demon would have the advantage.

If the search in the virtual world doesn't find him, should we assume that Serraes has escaped to the Mejlis side via Garne?

"Yes. It may be that the only reason he escaped to the less guarded border was because he was closer to Gurne.

"Originally, Cellaes escaped from Mejlis and traveled to Quama. It is unlikely that he would return that way. Rahite's people may have led him there, but if that's the case, should we assume that he's hiding out in Medis or Selende?

"The way they're covering their tracks is bizarre. It's also possible that it's Quama or Trinh.

It could be another user of transference magic, or it could be a new bastard with some unique magic. Can you think of any similar methods that Yugra has used?

"Yugra is an unfathomable man. It's easier to find something you can't do.

It wouldn't be surprising if there are people who can move through space in the same way as the Colorless Demon King. There's no end to what I can think of.

I'll just have to wait for my friend to get the information out of him.

I guess that's what it comes down to. But it shows what kind of king you are that you don't even serve sweets to your guests.

I'm going to repeat that to you, who did the same thing to me in Garnets.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. At any rate, let's give him some sweets and drive him away from the castle.

"Hey, how you doing?

"Hey, how are you, Mora?

Whoo! Phew!

I showed up at Morari's jail, which has been my routine for the past week, and he was very intimidated. I passed a satisfied looking Mix just a moment ago, but I wonder how much he's done. It's okay, he's not hurt.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We're just here to talk.

I'm here to talk. - She's ...... dead! I'll f*cking kill her!

Oh, my God.

When I put my hand on her shoulder to calm her down, she jumped and reacted. She almost bit my hand and I had to pull it back. That's quite something, Ilias almost slashed at Morari. So I left him there for five minutes. He resumes his conversation with Morari, who has somehow calmed down.

What do you want this time?

I'm thinking of doing some serious negotiations. You don't mind if I ask what it is, do you?

Negotiate? You really think I'm gonna do that?

Well... But it's worth a try. It's about Lytiel.

At the mention of Ritual's name, the quizzical look on Morari's face turned cold. It seems that when it comes to someone to whom he is loyal, he becomes serious. Thank you, this will help a lot.

Tell me, I'm not going to comply.

"Yeah, I'll make you a deal. It's--

I'll tell Morali what we're negotiating. She was very serious and kept quiet so as not to miss a word of it. I'm not going to lie to you, and I'm going to include the maximum concessions I can make.

......

You don't have to answer right away. I'm going to make the same offer to Jastet. It doesn't matter to me which side he takes. I just think you're more likely to get things done, Morari.

However, if one of them accepts first, the other one is also dead. Both will accept the terms. I'm going to leave the cell with a wave.

"Wait.

Morari stops me. Even from the back of my head, I knew what Morari's reply would be. I must be making a bad face right now. I'm sure I'm making a bad face right now because Ilias was just looking at me with a blank stare.

Ilias was just looking at me.

People of the planet Jugla, that man is dangerous. Not only Rahite, but also Lord Lytial is in danger from him. We must not be misled by his schemes. We must keep our original intentions. Morari, who is absolutely loyal to Lord Ritual, is unlikely to betray him. It's me you have to watch out for. Close your eyes, focus your ears, and pay attention to the sounds around you.

(...... footsteps)

This prison is built underground. The high windows let in sunlight, and the occasional footsteps of people walking outside mean that it is about one to two stories below ground. The prison where Morari is being held is a different place from here. Whichever of them tries to escape, they will have to start by trying to locate each other.

(A few more days until we break the ...... lock.)

You can't use magic with a magic seal stone, but you can use it to strengthen your magic somewhat undetected. With my concentration, I can use a single moment to unleash an explosion of power. They seem to have prepared this restraint in anticipation of my fighting ability, but I'm lucky that I was defeated before I could pull off the big move.

I keep my nerves alert and keep track of the guards' movements in the distance. Load the lock as the door opens and closes in shifts. It's hard to tell from the outside, but the locks are definitely beginning to distort. They don't use torture, and they don't watch the locks closely unless they're in trouble.

(...... These footsteps are the people of the planet Yugra.)

From the high window, you can hear the sound of Yugra's people walking. The woman next to her is a knight and ...... a Morari? Why is she walking outside? Is it to move the prison? They seem to be having a conversation. Concentrate more on your ears and pick up the sound.

"Why are you taking the long way to ......? You'll have to keep your word.

I know. I'll keep my word, but it's up to you to make it work.

That's definitely Morari's voice. Promise? What are you talking about? You're saying that Morari agreed to negotiate? That's absurd. Morari's loyalty to Lord Lytal is absolute. He would never burden Lord Littoral with anything, not even the smallest amount.

No problem. I'll make sure he gets away.

Let him go? Did you just say "let him go"? I can't make out everything from the fragments of conversation I heard. But it's not wrong that it sounds disturbing.

You're only given one chance. Don't resent me if you fail.

"How could I fail? ...... You're the one who's okay with these promises.

"I'm sure Ritual is guilty of inciting the guild's counselors to overthrow the state. Our first priority is Rahite and Serraes. Rhial is a smart guy, and he may continue to act even if he loses his cover in Rhaetys. Personally, I'd like to see him stay within a safe range.

"......

The people of Yugra's planet pressured Morari to provide information on the condition that they would overlook Lord Ritual? Giving Morari the role of letting him go, rather than taking advantage of him, carries a certain amount of risk. But under those conditions, Morari would not have ......, no. There is no way that Morari would accept that offer. If he accepts those terms and then gives the information to the enemy, he will be betraying the expectations of Lord Ritual.

(...... There is no way Morari will accept these terms. (There is no way Morari would shake his head at this.)

"And one other promise: I'll have that one ready by the time you hunt down Rahite.

That's more important. Do you trust these guys, Gradna and Van?

Gladna ...... "Fist Saint" Gladna? Why does that name come up here? I'm pretty sure that Gladna was once an adventurer with Lord Lytal.

I don't know. Aside from the drunkard Gladna, Mr. Ban is a serious merchant. He has some knowledge of Ritual's past. He knows some of Ritual's past, including the story of the woman who was once Ritual's lover who died and left him.

You're telling me that she was Mr. Ritual's ...... girlfriend? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's easy to imagine what Morali might think when he finds out about his girlfriend. But how can you weigh that against the detriment of Lord Littoral?

It's a 50-50 chance. I've only heard a little bit about it, but no matter how similar your girlfriend and you are, it's unlikely that Ritual will see you as a woman.

"Shut up. I'll kill you.

Morari: ......! This guy you call ......! But no one else understands her feelings better than I do. If Master Littoral were to abandon her current ambitions and turn her enthusiasm towards ...... herself, Morari would have no small amount of imagination.

I'll move the room for now, but I'm keeping the lock. It's no good if you can't escape with your transference magic. I'll be watching you night and day.

Suit yourself.

And you're sure about this? Are you sure you don't want to talk to Jastet?

No!

You don't have to. You just can't. Jastet owes Littoral a debt of gratitude, and his loyalty will never waver. I have enough information for one person.

Morari: ....... Why do you, why do you always ......! Why do you always pretend to understand me, but never get to the point ......! The reason I continue to stay by your side is not just for your sake.

"......, we're like buddies.

I'm only useful to you in following your orders. I'll be enough to get him out of here.

What about the danger? Even the holy knights of Mejlis will be on board. In terms of combat power, I'd rather have Jastet.

d*mn you. I'll kill you.

All right. He'll be treated relatively well in return for his agreement. But until this is over, you'll have no contact with the outside world.

Suit yourself. Then get him out of here. I need a decent bed.

The sound of the knight's footsteps drifted away. What should I do, call out to her? But if they know you can hear them from this distance, it'll be even harder to get information from them. Should I let my personal feelings get in the way of my chance to escape?

(...... d*mn it!)

In the end, I didn't speak up. When I stopped Morari, I couldn't think of enough words to convince her. I had always let her have her way, so how could I prevent her from having her way with me?

"I know you can hear me, Jastet.

"You hear me, Jastet?

I can hear the voices of the people of the planet Yugra. It's a little louder than before, and I can tell that it's coming closer to us. You can't see them because they're beyond the high windows, but you can definitely feel their presence.

It's just like we said. Morari is going to help us. I don't like the idea of taking advantage of someone's love interest, but I think it's relatively better for him.

"...... you!

I just want to reassure you. I'm not going to break the deal I made with Morari. I can't do any solid groundwork, but I'm going to try to create as many opportunities for Morari and Ritual to escape as possible. I'm not going to make promises I can't keep.

I can clearly hear the voices of the people of the planet Yugra. This man knew from the start that I was eavesdropping on him and brought Morari close to ......!

I wanted to be a little more careful with my preparations, but I wanted to get it over with before you broke the lock. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to replace the lock with a stronger one. It's better than being drugged, right?

...... You saw that coming.

I'm a coward. If there's someone in front of you who could easily kill you, you're always on the lookout for any break in your restraints. Well, that's okay. What do you want to do about it?

"...... What do you mean, what do you want?

"Morali accepted to negotiate for Ritual. But he didn't want to involve you. It's not like you're in the way of his love life. So Morali was looking out for you.

"......

Morari sent me to ......? That's not possible. She was always thinking only of Ritual and herself. Even this conversation...

"Jastet, even Morari understands that you're loyal to Lytal. That's why I didn't want you to do anything that would be detrimental to him for my own purposes. If he really didn't care about anything, he would have at least used you to try to get Ritual out of harm's way.

Sure, ...... no, but you understand that if I listen to this, I'm not going to object or be persuaded. That's why Morari didn't ask me to help him, that's all.

You're thinking that Morari must understand that you're against it and won't be persuaded, right?

Huh?

This man ...... is just like Ritual said, a tricky thing to watch out for. You can see what I'm thinking with just that much contact. ......!

"I'm sure Morari was thinking what you're thinking right now. But then, don't you think? I think I might be able to convince you.

...... That's...

You're a useful guy, you should try to convince me, even if it's a bad idea. But you didn't. Morari didn't choose to let me persuade you. That's what this is all about.

Morari was careful not to involve me? Didn't he just want to get rid of me because I was in his way? No, no matter how much Morari was willing to negotiate, his first priority should be Lord Liyal. Then even she must understand that this man is right, and that my presence would make it possible for her to do so more reliably.

"...... I'm ...... I'm ......

"You're no longer of any value to us, Jastet. You're no longer of any use to us, and you've given us little new information. Morari knows more about geography than you do. So all I ask of you is not to be my enemy until I'm done with you. I'll let you make the choices you have. You can either stand on the sidelines and walk off the stage, or you can do something for the girl who put you away.

Think about the choices you've been given. Whichever path you choose, Morari and Master Ritual will be crossing a dangerous path. But the degree of that will certainly vary. But, but, but ......!

"Whichever path you choose, the big picture remains the same. The choice you will make is between guilt and regret.

Neither path I choose is a desirable path. But I have to choose. So which one will you take? ...... The answer is obvious.

"...... Let me go with Morari. I have to protect them both.

"Well, you're more handsome than I thought. I can't believe I'm feeling guilty for someone I have a crush on.

...... Don't get me wrong. That's not how I feel about Morari.

You misread me there. That's okay. But you have to give me the same information that Morari gave you. I'll only believe you if they match.

"...... Oh.

I'm sorry, Mr. Lytiar. I've failed you too. But I had to do this to protect you and Morari. The guilt I feel is nothing compared to the safety of the two of you. .......

◇ "Hey, how are you?

"Hey, how are you doing, Mora?

"Woohoo! Woohoo! Phew!

Not again. I'm sorry, I'll tell the Mix to hold off on that.

The scene from the previous day in Morari's prison was repeated. He's not getting into any bad habits, is he? The only one who might be affected is Lakra, so I'm sure she'll be fine.

What do you want, ......?

Don't stare at me like that. I wanted to continue our negotiations from yesterday.

What do you mean "continue"? Are you f*cking kidding me? I told you no.

The story I told Morari is the same one I told Jastet. The story I told Morari is the same one I told Jastet, except for the part about Gladna and Mr. Van.

I'm acquainted with some of the people that Ritual has partied with in the past. Maybe I can give you some information on what kind of woman Ritual wants.

I've never heard of a dead lover. In short, that's the only thing that's a hoax. That's the only part that's a hoax, and I don't want a convenient story like that lying around. However, Morari clearly reacted to this topic when I brought it up. In the end, he refused on the grounds that there was no certainty. But what 'I' wanted to hear was how he refused, his words and his attitude.

"'My feelings for you are real, Mr. Littoral. Don't try to bait me with clever tricks.

Morari had meant what he had said. But there was no doubt that the presentation of uncertain information had made him conscious enough to think about it. So I understood that Morari really loved Littoral.

"Yes, so--

Jastet agreed with you.

What about ......?

I already knew that Jastet was very conscious of Morari. Then he must know Morari very well. Especially about his feelings for Ritual. That's why I told Jastet a little more about her. He prepared a tasty story that would make Morari's heart flutter.

Of course, I gave Jastet something else. Of course, I had to offer Jastet something else, something that would make him willing to cooperate.

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no way he'd give up that information.

I didn't know there were safe houses in both Torrhen and Zelende.

What?

And now Rytal is in Selende. Rahite and the others are with him.

Morari looks at me in disbelief. But it also confirmed the authenticity of the information I had gotten from Jastet.

"There's no way ...... that Jastet is ......

"So it was 'me' who understood Jastet better than 'you'. No, well, you could have come up with the same bargaining chip, couldn't you?

Even if he had negotiated with Morari based on what he had told Jastet, Morari would not have agreed to negotiate with him until the truth of what he had told Jastet was confirmed. Morari was far more troublesome in that respect. That is why I approached Morari first. To bring out more concrete bargaining chips.

However, that alone would not have been enough of an impact, so I had him use Duvraeori's "blank-eyed back," which had already been healed, and transform into Morari's form. It wasn't that difficult because it was a blunt conversation, and in fact, Jastet mistook the conversation between me and Duvleoli as a conversation between me and Morari. In fact, Jastet mistook the conversation between me and Duvvleoris for a conversation between me and Morari, and in the last few days I've come to understand that Morari would have said something like this. It took me three days to teach him how to act.

"Now, on to the negotiations. We don't need any more information, but it's true that making an enemy of Ritual is tricky. Honestly, I don't think we can afford to think about taking him alive. If we have to settle with them in a superior situation, I'd like you to take Ritual and run away to avoid unnecessary casualties. The conditions I'm offering you are the same as before, that I give you the opportunity to do so, and as a bonus, you can tell me about your past.

Let me think about it.

That's it for Morari. Morari's first priority is to keep Ritual safe. Then she wouldn't choose to leave it to Jastet alone. Either way, if Lytal's life is in danger, there's only one choice.

I'm not gonna rush you. Take your time. The only thing you need to think about is whether Jastet can get Ritual out of there alone.

That night, Morari agreed to negotiations. As a condition of his trust, he had Jastet cross-reference the information he had given. Now we have all the information we need. In addition, if you play your cards right, you'll have the means to get rid of Ritual. However, it's inevitable that the two of them will resent me for spilling the beans, right?